keep telling the truth of matter how much the media says you are out of touch. gerri@foxbusiness.com remember when you were a kid and you cannot leave the table now schools in florida make sure they're eating by installing cameras. that will not work. have a great night. >> good evening. president obama and governor romney meeting on stage for the first presidential debate of 2012. despite the best efforts stations is running high. tonight trends out to be the culmination of weeks of verbal sparring between the campaigns and conflict and

contradiction within the of -- obamacare pain itself. robert and stephanie better contradicted each other this morning low trying to defend and diminish the impact of vice president joe biden three marks. telling reporters the middle-class has been buried over the last four years not even aware obama was leading the nation and robert gibbs said he was referring to damage the bush had caused. >> we had eight years of terrific decisions, wall street rate teeing its own rules that took place four years ago of which we had to

dig out from each day. be clear. the middle-class was buried for a lot longer than we were dealing with bad economic decisions. lou: stephanie cutter contradicted trying to spin them out of the last four years telling another network we're absolutely not we made our predecessors by any means. three days after david axelrod and senior advisor told different stories of what the president knew of the terrorist attack in benghazi. less than 24 hours the president is in a debate with himself. of the daily caller uncovers a tape of senator obama june 2007 engaging in

defense of class warfare rhetoric to a group of black ministers. take a look at his controversial remarks from his 2007 speech side-by-side with remarks less than one year later. >> special shout out to my pastor said guy who puts up with me, counsels me, listens to my wife complain about me. [laughter] and he is a friend and a great leader to everybody give an extraordinary welcome to dr. jeremiah wright. >> i have condemned this statement are reverend wright have caused controversy and pain.

for some common nagging questions remain. today know him to be a fierce critic of domestic and foreign policy? >> of course. >> when hurricane andrew struck people said look at this devastation. what happens down in new orleans? where is your dollar? it makes no sense. tell me the ball it has not been taken out to. [applause] somehow the people in new orleans don't care about as much. >> brands taste the reverence comments were defensive added time when we need unity racially charged when we need to come together to solve monumental problems

black or white latino, asian, that confront us all. lou: the obama's campaign supporters doing everything they could to be down the story even before it was revealed on hannity last night. the response team sent out a list of skeptical from the york magazine and the "new york times" all professing the injustice station justice saying that the video was published before. we will take up with the former pentagon official and former reagan advisor the "a team" the most important

question is if governor romney comes out swinging or takes a more passive approach joining us now is steve hayes. in the way the world you could imagine governor romney to be so secure if he would not be aggressive? >> no. he could be because the advice suggest the does everything he can from look being too aggressive listening to focus groups with suburban housewives who like obama may have voted for him and do not want to see somebody attack the guy

they voted 47 but certainly attacking the policies and their consequences painfully to millions of americans. >> remain on the side of those arguing mitt romney needs to be aggressive. lou: i tried to smoke you out. [laughter] the campaign over the week has been passive. mitt romney says i care about the country and the president cares but my policies will work. that will not cut it. you have to be tough point* out where his policies went wrong and lay out a vision of how to do differently.

lou: it is difficult at two minutes per crack with the format. >> but mitt romney does well he did well in the primary debates why think he won the nomination. he should answer question quickly to make the aggressive point* to put the president on the defense. lou: reasonably intelligent folks i believe could dance in this debate and me effectively brilliant. president obama, what is his greatest hazard? >> there are times with debates back in the democratic primary he comes

off smug and seems condescending and patronizing. he is not a position to do that but it was in the year him. >> the think he will say like senator 2010 to find her likable enough? >> i don't think we will see him repeat that mistake. lou: the romney campaign says they will not bring up the 2007 speech want you think of their choice? >> it is interesting. the two different arguments obama uses we cannot be divisive to make an incendiary comments. but to look at the

mainstream media types that say we were there and it makes you wonder about their judgment how did they cover it but not cover some much rhetoric? that is a harsh criticism to make for our like to think if i cover the speech at that time that would not only be in my story but it is significant to say that. >> you question the news judgment i question the ideological judgment. it is lacking and we will go things that happened in the speech but the one element we will discuss tonight as if list send to candidate obama not even two weeks

since he voted in the united states senate against the waiver of the act for new orleans i doubt we'll ever see such a clear case of such cynical opportunism by any candidate certainly not from any officeholder. thank you. we'll have more on the debate coming up. >> whereas obama's cabinet been hiding? who are they? when do they meet? we look at who is running the government in the "chalk talk." the debate is tonight. who will win? a neutral observer will give

us his view reince priebus with his expectations.

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lou: a lot of questions to be answered tonight talking with reince priebus obama lotus few differences rightama lotus few differences right away from the last debate.

governor romney is taller than john mccain. actually 7 inches. mommy is 6-foot 2 inches tall senator mccain 517 inches and this time president obama is the shortest at 6-foot 1 inch and seven may be his lucky number he is also seven years younger than senator mccain but still 14 years older than obama first of all, street stocks closed with gains encouraging economic news dow jones industrial average of auto plants smb of five and nasdaq 15. adp better than expected 162,000 jobs this services sector at expanding the fastest europe and china pushes crude oil prices

lower dropping at $88 the biggest decline in four months hewlett-packard's stock is down 13% after meg whitman predicted earnings will fall 10% next year. turning to the debate william joined by the chair reince priebus. -- . things looks at. i am ready that. >> i will sneak in candy bars and enjoyment on may setting the country straight. the president is conning the country the economy is then the ditch the debt is out of control. everything he promised four years ago across america has not come near what he

promised. we will let out a better vision for the country mitt romney will do that tonight. lou: will he be aggressive to take the debate to the president? >> i think sell and the president has made it easy. think of the save some four romney. -- safe zone. it is a kill shot. connolly, debt, jobs and then what is your vision? what will you do to get the economy at of the ditch? reduce spending small business taxes 20 percent across the board and the

keystone pipeline that is very specific within the first 100 days. lou: obama must think good thing it is from a and not reince priebus. >> the president needs to stop calling names and playing high-school student government and getting serious and how will the next four years me any better. >> we are seeing some battleground states in national polls in ohio is a significant lead and how concerned are you it could move that measure?

>> you may have six tiers 70 million people watching. the debates matter is important for americans to focus not fighting for the future of the american -- republican party this president is not your daddy's democrats. bill clinton nor john kennedy but leftist in the white house that we have to defeat. lou: is the governor romney going to b.v. tea explainer in chief? obama's made a joke he was as clear and articulating the policies that have been followed clearer than anyone

in the administration. >> i think it will be very clear. those five points you hear about and you have to be concise and clear that is what romney has been but what is the president's record? he doesn't want to talk about it. it stinks. the american people know it. lou: reince priebus. chair of the rnc. thank you. the fed bias in illinois? does this the administration want to move prisoners from guantanamo bay to a civilian prison?

where is the president's cabinet? to even know who was then this cabinet? wolak of leadership could you name the secretary of commerce? quick. we will be right back. around the country, around the corner. us bank.

lou: we have the most persistent a visible and relent late asian relenting president since bill clinton. with the same cannot be said of the cabinet so we thought it would be fun to examine who runs the government for

this president? i made a bet most people could not identify the secretary's of the executive branch i did that sui would not have to embarrass all of us. [laughter] of course, we have secretary of state hillary clinton she got a head start as first let 80 and senator. timothy geithner who has disappeared recently as he does when there is great uncertainty in the markets and attorney general eric holder is easy to remember the first attorney general ever to be held in contempt for withholding fast in various documents. leon panetta has a memorable

asset hound countenance as he has civilization on his shoulders but interior secretary salazar and ever culture secretary tom vilsack not memorable of less you believe food stamps are economic stimulus. i hope that comes up tonight. neil cavuto is hosting debate coverage. we hope you will be with us. commerce secretary we don't have one any more this is interesting. jon price then resigned

after two felony hit and run. hill the solis by this will be in the witness protection program. if there were 23 million unemployed or underemployed to be scared of your title was labor secretary. a bill she will do more for the second term. hhs secretary kathleen sebelius most would prefer she was then the witness protection program because of obama corporation -- obamacare. ray lahood we're told the is a republican but we're still investigating. arne duncan the best icahn do he is the basketball buddy of obama they played together in chicago. department of energy steven

chu will be better remembered because of the solyndra debacle in winning the nobel prize in physics. and to plot -- janet napolitano one of my favorites. to be remembered to forget who she is and what she does? it is easier we don't get into it. she is making a mess out of things. don't worry. it is just a homeland. shaun donovan that is all we have to say. department of veterans affairs shinseki and we don't know what he looks like, and i do know what he looks like actually. the best reason not to know

he works that hard for our veterans think you mr. secretary. 15 secretaries president obama has met with all of them. are you ready? twice. and the last nine months. and obama is hard at work golfing and campaigning to do it again. having weekly meetings with bala read jarret and political of pfizer's who are protected by a executive privilege is inspiring. what can you expect from a man who ever managed anything and his wife until he was elected the biggest management position in the world? only in america.

one name not year, teetwo to keep his mishaps and focus heartbeat away from the presidency. everybody is familiar with joe biden. the cover-up gets worse more questions than answers with the terrorist attack. were risks ignored and calls for help not answered and reports not read? they want to wait until after the election. katie mcfarland is ready to talk.

vice president joe biden added again. >> how can they justify raising taxes on the middle-class and has been buried last four years. lou: who buried them? can the middle-class survive? we will give some counsel to the candidates. we're in the world was this video 2008? >> look at the gulf coast people ask me if they thought grace was the reason i said no illustration was colorblind. lou: now what they have been denying over five years. the president reveals himself in his own words. the "a team" is next

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lou: joining us now katie microlending holding the post under nixon ford and reagan. start with "the washington post" getting the next round of sensitive documents lying on the floor in the consulate of benghazi this is outrageous. >> three weeks later we cannot send in the fbi it is too dangerous but the reporters are picking up sensitive documents talking about the people in libya. three weeks later. lou: not securing a because we have no personnel i know people in the fbi and i have the highest respect one of

my oldest friends is there. the idea they make them look like in the tent and even want to continue the description to make them look horrible. >> it was either a massive intelligence failure to not know the was a security threat to and if not then a massive security failure to not protect them. either way it is now a cover up. remember the youtube movie? they said the intelligence community said it was there fault. lou: one of the where does things i have never seen comes out with the statement on a friday and has not appeared in public he could

be in a river bank fishing while this is fishing and we would not know better. >> they will blame the state department and the intelligence was known why did they not provide anything more than some read the cops. lou: why would they declined security for the u.s. ambassador? to these people remember we just launched hostilities eight months ago? >> that is the key. if the blame game starts and has i was there during watergate and in the pentagon during iran-contra. now they blame the state department, intelligence community then you will see

the whistle-blowers coming out of the woodwork career diplomats, intelligence officers with connections you will see the drip drip drip every week ultimately there will be hearings with a political crisis. lou: hearings have produced effectively nothing. we have to rise above the level of u.s. senators and congressmen sending letters with the action taken there has to be a higher level of energy and oversight of the senate if the country will be served at all. lou: watch secretary clinton. she should have been out there is 70 when ambassador.

of that was hurt issue she was at her house in washington she could have gone in she didn't. i think she knew there was a problem what she does next will be important. lou: why was axelrod talking about national security? >> lou: good to have you. domestic issues first and foremost, the audience beginning to fill the seats. what do we want them to say? we will speak to a wall street legends. who comes out on top? to analyze and react and

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lou: my next guest is on board with vice president biden the middle class has been buried and when it comes to the clash the romney/ryan plan should have arise of middle-class and come joining me now is louis lerman. we have the republican orthodoxy. cut taxes and we will see growth. this is such the overstimulated economy we have so much government

doesn't this change the algorithms? >> it does. the tax rate reduction is necessary but not sufficient we have to get at of the hands to read -- regulate large segments is everybody said bill the house and cut down the tree they did not say you could not do any of those under the epa. lou: obama appeals to the middle-class as he will try tonight unemployment over 8% it has ben devastating. how this the have a

compelling message the shambles of the middle-class? >> he is not afraid of the truth he does not want the american people to know the work force is shrinking and it is more profitable for the american people to be on the dole and for them to go out to work that has made the workforce shrink and make it smaller. >> how does governor romney convince the people that are watching and make it compelling he could change the destiny of the correction and of the country within two minutes

or maybe the rebuttal? >> he does not have the two hours mr. lincoln had more douglas had he has to give the impression to lay out the vision of america that is true how we create abundance by inspiring of entrepreneurs as well as middle income people who aspire to the next rung on the latter as a man who achieved it himself and that is unmistakable. >> except both our beneficiaries of this economic system what knowledge is in the other does not.

good to have you with us. the race is tightening others are being stubborn. the "a team" coming towards the studio. we will see you shortly. stay with us.

lou: joining us now we have the "a team" angela mcglowan

hank and fox news could trigger a never advises and eight candidate about anything. [laughter] michael goodwin. 2007 obama reveals himself. >> a wonderful performance. liberals will go to my community and change their cadence and talk division politics. that the bush administration does not care about black people. is that the school of condi west? >> what do i say after that? republicans are addicted to race like crack.

>> he was released. >> there was a book written named david anderson he is to be well-respected. lou: an interesting device of you democrats you republicans list is a little peculiar. the president has a tape held away five years and a national liberal media who were aware of the transcripts that turned out to be prepared remarks bearing no relationship to what we just washed -- watched from "the daily caller" and hannity. it is a mess how can you explain the fact this

president in the course of less than two weeks voting against the waiver of the stafford act would make it a centerpiece that white america hates those black ministers? >> the book bamboozled with this is to get out the vote to they play on our emotions lou: let him talk. >> anything that occurs there is no pass tense and no future tense. >> what is the answer? >> this is a man of your party do you agree is contemptible? >> it is absolutely appalling but this is about

politics. >> that is an excuse so to hell with the standards or the morality or the ethics so anything goes this administrations looks like the standard bearer. fast forward to the whole issue of libya. he has tarnished the oval office of a last few years. he is not governed everything is about to the reelection. he advocated to run for president. had he done common-sense things but he chose partisanship.

>> i called my sister half my family voted obama and the other half mccain. i say he will be president one day. if he says it is the black america or white america it is about color. it is about getting out the vote talk about jim crow and voter fraud my grandparents lived through that. >> that is true. >> there is no reaction. no way we can respond every other aspect of our society to be the multi-cultural vulcanize nation to buy your way to public policy.

>> started by the interest groups that control congress. lou: do not absolving the individual the talk about. >> is about every individual taking responsibility. the president made promises. lou: a 2004 is one of the most inspirational speeches. >> but he ignored his own plea at a historic the black college in front of those black ministers then they went back and said we have to vote him in. >> it is fair to hold people to their own promises. he broke that promise.

>> is the election campaign the purpose of government is to get reelected. lou: if you are comfortable with this level then here we are. the "a team." thank you very much. that is depressing politics. [laughter] one b word takes offense to the accent's on the campaign trail. i am so bad.

lou: d e